The school is an amalgamation of Clissold Park Secondary Modern School and Woodberry Down School, with the new school founded in 1982 in the building of the former Clissold Park Secondary Modern School.
In the 2007 report produced by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), Stoke Newington School was described as "an outstanding school with a culture of high expectations" and that "close attention to making sure that all students do as well as they possibly can characterises the school's leadership and management at all levels". Stoke Newington School has a sixth form which was launched in September 2006.[citation needed]
Major renovation of the school under the 'Building Schools for the Future' (BSF) programme was completed in 2010.
Willmott Dixon was the main contractor undertaking the new building and refurbishment of the school. Their appointed architect was Jestico + Whiles who won the RIBA May 2011 award for their work on the school.[1]
The completed works on the school include a new entrance building containing 13 new classrooms clad in cor-ten steel, a new dining hall, improvements to the circulation (with more connecting corridors on second and third floors), replacements of the old temporary classrooms, new roofing throughout, new furniture and IT equipment. New disabled access features were also installed to allow as much accessibility as possible to the older buildings, including new ramps and lifts.
Stoke Newington School is noted for its anti-homophobia drive, with music teacher Elly Barnes coming no. 1 in The Independent newspaper's 'Pink List' LGBT awards.[2] The school also pioneers the use of 'behaviour mentors', who aim to reduce bullying and discrimination. The school was highly praised in its Ofsted report for its anti-bullying strategy.[3]
